Hard Realities
by zeusfluff
Summary: The Enterprise comes to the aide of the badly damaged U.S.S London and in the wreckage Riker finds a woman who mistakes him for someone else.
1. Hard Realities

**Hard Realities**

Author: ZeusFluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Trek characters. But I do own: Jessica and Erica. Date Started: 11/16/13. Date Finished: 11/16/13. Summary: The Enterprise comes to the aide of the badly damaged U.S.S London and in the wreckage Riker finds a woman who mistakes him for someone else. Hope you will all enjoy! Thanks!

* * *

It was the night shift and everything was routine, no problems. Then it happened. We got the distress call alert. I turned to Worf who was at tactical.

"Sir, we are receiving an incoming distress call. Federation signature: U.S.S London."

I nodded my head, we would have to wake the captain, even if it was 0300.

"Captain Picard to the bridge please. We are receiving a distress call from the U.S.S London."

I waited for the captain to respond before I closed the COMM channel.

"On my way number one."

I looked to Worf to open a subspace channel.

"Mr. Worf open a channel to the U.S.S London. This is Commander Riker of the U.S.S Enterprise. We've received your distress call. We're enroute. The Enterprise will reach your destination in the Gamma Quadrant in approximately two hours."

I wasn't even sure I was getting through, we were so far away.

"They are receiving us sir. Audio only."

I tried to listen through all the static over the transmission.

"We hear you Enterprise. Please come quickly… This is Commander Sarson. We… were attacked…"

The transmission cut out quickly and suddenly.

"Mr. Worf can we get them back?"

Worf shook his head no.

"No sir. We are too far away to reestablish a link."

I nodded my head and pulled down on my uniform shirt, sitting back down. Captain Picard exited the turbolift. In turn, I vacated his chair.

"Status report number one."

Sitting down in my own chair I filled the captain in on what was going on.

"We've made contact with the U.S.S London Captain. She's in the Gamma Quadrant. I spoke with Commander Sarson, and they were attacked. That was all I could get out of the subspace message we were receiving."

The captain nodded in acknowledgment and stared at the view screen as the stars whizzed by. Before long, we'd reached the coordinates the London had sent us. They were adrift over an uninhabited M-class planet.

"U.S.S London, this is Captain Jean Luc Picard of the Enterprise. Do you read me?"

I frowned when there was no response. The captain relayed the message over the COMM system. When they didn't respond, I knew there was something wrong. Captain Picard looked at me with a serious look on his face.

"Number one, take an away team aboard and see if you can find any survivors."

I nodded my head and made my way towards the turbolift.

"Aye sir. Data you're with me. Worf you too."

The transport over to the London was quick. When we arrived, she was almost in ruins. Consoles were flickering on and off and the titanium support beams were down. I whipped my head around to the right when I heard a young child screaming behind a doorway. Data was quick to open up the door as I instructed. Once the door was opened, I came face to face with a little girl with the most beautiful striking blue eyes, screaming at the top of her lungs. She was reaching up for me with her arms outstretched.

"DADDY!"

There was a support beam down on the floor next to her and a woman who was heavily pregnant was pinned under it. Her eyes fluttered open and she moaned in pain.

"Thomas! I thought you were dead! Please get me out!"

I leaned down next to the fallen beam and reached out for her hand. She was a beautiful woman, long dark brown hair and striking green eyes. My 'brother' did have taste after all.

"I'm sorry. You must be mistaking me for someone else."

The woman shook her head and screamed.

"Oh god not now!"

I held her hand and waited for the transporter to do an emergency beam-out of the four of us. We rematerialized in sickbay with the crying two year old girl in tow, in my arms. The woman who I assumed was her mother was lying on the bio-bed next to where I was standing. A nurse tried to take the little girl from me so that she could check her out, but she only screamed and held onto me tighter.

"No! I wanna stay with daddy!"

I put a hand up to say it was ok. The woman on the bio-bed was frantic.

"Thomas please don't leave! You were down on Vulcan when Jessica was born. I need you to be here for the both of us. For me, and most certainly for Erica."

Doctor Crusher didn't know what to say. I relented when a nurse got Jessica to sit down on a bio-bed across the room. I had to play the game.

"It's ok Jessie. Daddy will just be right over here with mommy. No more tears. See? Mommy will be ok."

Jessica nodded her head and stuck her thumb into her mouth. How could I intervene? This was my 'brother's' family after all.

"I'm Morgan, Thomas. You know who I am. Don't act like you don't know who I am. Maybe you hit your head when you fell."

I noticed a shift in Morgan's attitude. One of desperation almost. She was in active labor and she thought I was her husband Thomas. All I could do was hold her hand and reassure her.

"Thomas, Erica's coming. Remember to make Jessica pancakes in the shape of shooting stars. She likes real buttermilk pancakes. Not the synthesized stuff from the replicator. She likes her eggs over easy. She said it tastes better when you cook it on your little gas stove."

I put on a brave face. Morgan was a beautiful woman, but she was still my 'brother's' wife.

"Everything's going to be alright. Erica will be here soon enough, and we'll be able to hold her in our arms, safe and sound. Don't you worry."

She gave me a wild-eyed look.

"Worried? Worried! I have every reason to be worried Thomas! When you were down on Vulcan for that Energy Transference conference, I was up on the London giving birth to your first-born and she was breech! You had no idea did you?"

I reassured her again, her eyes and expression softening a little.

"She's almost here, I can already see the top of her head."

She kept gripping my hand in a vice-like grip. I swallowed as I saw the baby in Doctor Crusher's arms, she was red and covered in blood. I'd never seen a live birth before, just a simulation while at the academy. But that was by the book. This was not. Morgan had bled out from her injuries, and I was now in charge of two children, the oldest of the two thinking that I'm her daddy.

To Be Continued…

A/N: I was originally going to wait to post this, but I couldn't help myself. Let me know what you guys think! Thanks!


	2. A Rough Night

**Chapter 2: A Rough Night**

Author: ZeusFluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Trek characters. But I do own: Jessica and Erica. Date Started: 11/17/13. Date Finished: 11/21/13. Hope you will all enjoy! Thanks!

* * *

"Computer, access personal files, Riker, Thomas."

Before the computer could pull up the exact files I'd requested, a video recording popped up on the screen, containing my face. I pushed play and watched myself speak.

"_To my 'brother' Will Riker, if you are receiving this message, it means that me and my wife Morgan have died. Of all the things I hold dear in my life, are two of the most precious, my daughters. I leave Jessica and Erica in your care."_

I turned off the monitor when I heard Erica begin to fuss in the next room. Getting up from my chair in the living area, I went into the next room. I carefully reached in and picked her up. Quietly padding out of the room I pressed on the comm panel.

"_Time: 0230 hours."_

I'd have to get used to these 2 a.m. feedings.

"Computer, warm breast milk in a bottle please."

The replicator materialized the bottle with the warm milk in it. Erica was even fussier now.

"I know you're hungry Erica. Here you go. That's it. There we go. Hold on. There's plenty more where that came from."

4oz was just enough to get her back to sleep. I patted her back a little and listened to the tell-tale signs of a burp. I was prepared, I had a burp rag just in case she decided to spit up on me. Once I was sure she wasn't going to spit up, I set the clean burp rag down on the table and carried Erica back to the room she shared with Jessica. Placing her back inside the crib, I turned my attention to Jessica and walked over to her bed. She was fast asleep. I smiled, she was still clutching the brown stuffed dog, a likeness of a Labrador retriever under her arm in a death grip. When I tried to put him under the covers with her, she called out in her sleep.

"No daddy… Spot is Jessie's doggy."

I kissed her forehead and tucked the covers around her. She had my 'brother's' eyebrows. _My eyebrows. _How was I going to explain to her, that I wasn't her daddy, but I was? I was only going to confuse her. Jessica had opened up her baby blues and was looking at me in a panic.

"Daddy, I want mommy… I have owies…"

I hid my alarming look under a mask of calm.

"Can you show daddy where it hurts Jessie?"

I watched her nod her head seriously and point to the left of her chest in the middle.

"Right here daddy…"

I sat down on her bed momentarily and scooped her up in my arms. I listened to her breathe for a minute, what was that rattling sound? Then suddenly it was gone, and Jessica had closed her eyes falling back to sleep. I'd have to have a talk with Doctor Crusher in the morning about this. Placing her back under the covers, I gave her one last kiss goodnight and left the room to go to my own bed. These 2 a.m. feedings and night checks were going to have me beat to the pulp by the end of the week.

* * *

"Jessica has Ryerson Syndrome commander. You see this? Some of the Alveoli in her left lung aren't functioning properly. Six or seven of them are disconnected, as if they'd been severed by something. This syndrome is fairly new. There have only been a handful of cases involving children over the last 20 years. Some more severe and others less. Jessica has the mild form."

I stroked my beard in thought.

"Is it some sort of genetic disorder?"

Beverly shook her head no at me.

"Test results have been a bit murky on that plane of thought. I'd like to run some more tests to find out. I'd like to take a lung tissue sample from you, and a blood sample from Jessica. With your permission of course."

I started to sweat a little when she mentioned me.

"Of course. Wait a minute, you want to take a lung tissue sample from me?"

She nodded and smiled.

"Relax commander. It won't hurt a bit. It's not like it was three centuries ago where I'd be sticking a 30 gauge needle into the side of your chest between your second and third ribs, through the muscle tissue and into your lung to get a sample."

I gave a nervous laugh.

"That's comforting."

It was quick and painless for me, and for Jessica. I pulled Beverly aside and whispered in her ear.

"Thomas left both the girls to me in his will. He said he wouldn't trust his children's well-being with anyone else but me. Anything else I should be worried about?"

Beverly shook her head no again and gave a small smile.

"Ryerson Syndrome is the only thing you have to worry about with her. I meant to ask you, how was the girls first night? Did Jessica get settled in alright?"

I nodded my head and smiled brightly.

"The first thing Jessica asked me when we got back to my quarters was: 'Daddy can you make me some potato pancakes?' So I made her some potato pancakes. I don't know how long it'd been since she'd eaten, but she ate four of them! She was very confused about where all her toys were, and that my quarters were different than 'they used to be'. I had to replicate her a bed and Erica a crib. I don't know how new fathers do it, but I was up every couple of hours feeding Erica. I've been giving her 4oz."

I looked at Jessica who was playing with her stuffed dog Spot. She was oblivious to what was going on around her.

"So you know commander, her symptoms will range from barely noticeable as in what looks like simple congestion from a cold, the beginning stages of what looks like an Asthma attack, pieces of what looks like Pertussis or the worst one of all, allergic reaction with closing of the throat. Watch her carefully. It can happen at any time."

I nodded my head seriously. Jessica smiled up at me and held up Spot to show me.

"See daddy, Spot isn't scared, and Jessie isn't either. When can we see mommy?"

She'd forgotten what I'd told her last night when I put her to bed.

"Jessica sweetheart, do you remember what daddy told you last night about what happened to mommy? Mommy flew away to heaven. She's in a special place right now, and I'm sure she's thinking about you right now."

Jessica smiled and pretended Spot was shaking her hand.

"And you too daddy?"

I gave her a gentle smile.

"Daddy too."

I was somewhat relieved when Deanna walked in.

"I thought I might find you here. Hello Jessica. My name is Deanna. Do you want to talk about what happened to your mommy?"

Jessica shook her head no and stuck her thumb in her mouth, and hid behind my back.

"No. I want daddy."

Deanna only smiled at Jessica and stood up.

"I've got toys in my office you can play with. It's really fun. I promise your daddy can come too."

Jessica smiled and nodded her head, slowly coming out from behind my back. But still holding onto my leg.

"Spot can come too?"

Deanna smiled more as she saw Jessica hold up Spot so that she could see him.

"Of course Spot can come too. He's a very pretty brown dog."

I pulled Deanna aside for a moment, Doctor Crusher was examining Erica, probably taking a blood sample from her too, make sure she doesn't have the same condition as Jessica.

"I just found out that Jessica has Ryerson Syndrome. She had a symptom pop up in the middle of nowhere at 2 a.m. and then vanished a few seconds later. I don't mind challenges, but this is my biggest challenge yet, taking care of a toddler and a newborn."

Deanna gave my shoulder a squeeze and held out her hand for Jessica to take. She slowly took Deanna's hand and smiled up brightly at her. Jessica turned her head back at me.

"Daddy, don't forget Erica."

I laughed a little, and reached onto the bio bed and tucked Erica safely in my arms. She was fast asleep. When in the hallway, I could tell we were getting various stares from other crew members, but I ignored them. Once in Deanna's office, I saw Jessica launch herself at the toys, though not as fast as I thought she would. Deanna was the first to notice.

"Will, she's not very steady on her feet. She looks as if she just learned how to walk not that long ago. How old did you say she was again?"

I looked at Jessica and smiled when I saw her sitting in a pile of stuffed animals, and all I could see was her head.

"2 years and 3 days. She turned 2 while still on-board the London. Could be some sort of delay. I'll have to check 'my' log entries."

Jessica smiled brightly at Deanna and snuggled into the stuffed animals.

"Looks like you've made some new friends."

She laughed at Deanna and snuggled into the stuffed animals some more.  
"Jessie like stuff aminals."

The more I got to know Jessica, the more she wiggled her way into my heart. Erica was becoming squirmy. She was sleepy.

"You can put Erica in the crib over there. There are a lot of babies on this ship and I keep one in here just in case it's needed. Infants need a lot of sleep."

I gently placed Erica into the crib and she drifted off to sleep. I was beat, but I had two children to take care of. They were a priority. Jessica was sitting in my lap now, with her head against my chest. Deanna looked at Jessica and nodded her head.

"Are you sleepy now Jessica?"

I watched as she nodded her head against my chest.

"Jessie wanna go night-night."

I pushed some hair out of her face and kissed her forehead.

"Just close your eyes."

Jessica nodded her head and closed her eyes, sticking her thumb in her mouth. I gently took her hand away from her mouth. I listened to Deanna's voice.

"Ok Jessica. What does your mommy look like?"

Jessica clung to me and smiled.

"Mommy h-h-h-has long brown hair a-a-a-and green eyes. She's w-w-wearing a b-b-blue dress."

She was shaking in my arms and crying now.

"It's ok to be sad Jessica. What happened next?"

Jessica clung to me tighter.

"Mommy got stuck under beam on Londo. She had owies in her tummy, so Ewica came early. Daddy came to save me… Mommy flew away to heaven."

Deanna nodded her head.  
"You can open your eyes now Jessica. When I count to three you can open your eyes. One, two, three. Open your eyes."

Jessica opened up her eyes and clung to me. She didn't want to let go.

"Daddy, c-c-can Jessie s-s-sleep with you tonight?"

How could I say no to that face? Her big blue eyes and my brown hair, my brother's hair and his eyes. Not mine. I wondered if my 'brother' held her like this before she went to sleep every night.

To Be Continued…

A/N: So, what'd you guys think? Let me know! Thanks!


	3. Separation Anxiety

**Chapter 3: Separation Anxiety**

Author: ZeusFluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Trek characters. But I do own: Jessica and Erica. Date Started: 11/23/13. Date Finished: 11/24/13. Hope you will all enjoy! Thanks!

* * *

"I get to see where you work daddy?"

Jessica was such an inquisitive child, I didn't know what to say at times. Smiling, I picked her up and kissed her forehead. The turbolift had stopped and the doors were open, the bridge in plain sight.

"Daddy, has to work now ok? I'll see you and Erica soon."

I set her down on the floor of the turbo lift, as I tried to exit, she grabbed onto my leg and didn't let go.

"No daddy! Don't leave Jessie! Jessie and Ewica no wanna be a-a-lone! Pwease daddy! Jessie n-n-n-no wanna be alone! Pwease daddy! Pwease! Pwease don't go!"

I picked Jessica up and gave her to Deanna who'd been in the turbolift with me the whole way. Deanna was doing her best to calm Jessica down.

"Jessica, your daddy has to go to work now, but you know what, I'll go back to the nursery with you and Erica and play awhile. Does that sound like fun?"

Jessica shook her head no at Deanna and tried to climb into my arms.

"No! No! No! I want daddy!"

No matter how heartbreaking it was to hear her cry like that, I had to keep going. There were no children allowed on the bridge.

"Deanna just take her to the nursery. I'll come and check in on her and Erica in a little while."

I sighed as the turbolift closed behind me and I stepped onto the bridge.

"Second meltdown this morning. Raising a toddler and a newborn is hard, especially by yourself captain. I never thought raising a child would be this challenging, let alone two."

This was going to be a long morning.

"Daddy!"

Jessica slowly toddled her way over towards me. Her smile bright as the sun in our solar system.

"You are supposed to be taking a nap young lady."

She shook her head no at me.

"No daddy. Jessie not sleepy. No nap."

I shook my head and watched as she climbed into my lap.

"Well, what are we going to do with little Miss Jessica? If Jessie doesn't go to sleep, how is she going to grow up to be big and strong like daddy?"

Jessica nodded her head yes and stuck her thumb in her mouth, sucking on it. I took her hand away from her mouth and watched her snuggle against my chest.

"Yes daddy."

Deanna pulled up a chair beside me and watched Jessica sleep.

"See now this is how I like to see Will Riker. The strong, paternal type. You're really good with her. So I heard that Thomas left the girls to you. I wouldn't want any one more qualified than you to take care of these children. Jessica doesn't know the difference though, between you and her real father. To her, you are her daddy."

I smiled at Deanna and then down at Jessica. She was trying to burrow herself into my uniform.

"Thomas has been doing this with her since she was born. Holding her like this until she falls asleep."

Deanna smiled and pushed a strand of hair out of Jessica's face.

"That's natural for her to do that. You see, in the womb, it's warm and safe, and when they enter the world, usually the first person they get attached to is their mother. By smell and sound. But since her mother isn't here, she chooses you. You are her safety net Will. She's experiencing separation anxiety. She feels that when you leave her, you won't come back. Now we don't know how long she was alone with her mother on the London, but she was in the room when her mother passed. You'll have to help her through this."

Jessica had buried her head into my chest and stuck her thumb back into her mouth.

"Deanna, she's 2 years old. How am I going to possibly explain to her that I'm not her father, but I am? There's still so much I have to learn about parenting. In the past month I've been sleeping lightly because I've been waking up every four hours to feed Erica and to check on Jessica. I've gone so far as to replicate one of those ancient child-monitoring radios, a baby monitor. One little sound, the slightest deviation of her breathing and I'm in that room like a bolt of lightning. I wish there were a cure for Ryerson Syndrome."

I felt good that I was venting to someone else. Deanna was always my right wing when it came down to the issues. Except for my father. He was always someone I didn't like to talk about, though Deanna knew about our rocky relationship with one another.

"I'm glad you're getting this out Will. I've been feeling that you are rather tense lately. Your body language has be radiating off you in waves. I think others of the crew are starting to feel it. They feel on edge. Jessica is a beautiful little girl. She looks just like _you _Will. Whether you'd like to admit it or not, you and Thomas are one and the same. He was you Will."

Did the bags under my eyes really give that much away? My sleeping patterns were out of whack.

"Is it really that obvious that I'm tired? I'm doing the best I can raising these two, I'm just not exactly sure how to raise a special needs child and a newborn. I'll have to learn along the way."

Deanna smiled and put a hand on my own.

"I happen to know you are doing a wonderful job being a parent to both these children. Jessica adores you, and Erica already has her little hand wrapped around your index finger. I'd be happy to help you out on my days off. Are you having any luck potty training Jessica?"

I shook my head no.

"I've been doing my best, but she won't go. I don't think she's ready. I've been reading that some children aren't ready until three. And in rare cases 4 years old. What would you suggest to help Jessica overcome her separation anxiety?"

I carefully set Jessica down on a mat on the floor. She was fast asleep. I pulled a teacher aside for a second.

"When was Jessica's diaper changed?"

The teacher smiled at me and shook my hand.

"No worries commander. 20 minutes ago. I'll check to see if she's wet when she wakes up."

Nodding my head, I made my way over to Erica who was fussing in the plastic basinet. Picking her up, I supported her head.

"Look at those baby blues, you have daddy's eyes. Look at that 'O' face. You are sleepy aren't you? No, hungry I'd think. Here, let's get you a bottle."

Erica ate from the bottle as if she hadn't eaten in days. She was up to a little more than 6oz of milk. I always came prepared. A burp rag lay resting against my left shoulder. It was 20 minutes before she was finished with her meal. I leaned her up against my shoulder and patted her back. I heard a wet burp and lay her back in my arms.

"Oh sweetheart, you've got an upset tummy. Too much milk at once. Daddy will have to remember that for next time."

Deanna smiled down at Erica and brushed a finger along her marble white cheek.

"Look at you with her. And you were afraid you'd drop her the first few days after she was born. You notice her crying is starting to change now. Brand new babies have a certain sound to them, but Erica is starting to sound like most infants. As for the question about Jessica and her separation anxiety, all I can offer you is this: take it one step at a time. One day at a time and she'll eventually see that you working isn't so bad. I'm wondering if Thomas spent most of his time carrying her around and playing with her. I've got an idea, tomorrow I'm off duty, which coincides with your day off, let's look up his service record in the computer banks. Might provide some clues."

There were still so many mysteries clouding my 'brother' Thomas' death.

To Be Continued…

A/N: So, what'd you guys think? Let me know! Thanks!


End file.
